This fresh and summery salad is bursting with Italian flavor.
Do you grow tomatoes in the summer?
Or do you buy local tomatoes from the farmers market or veggie stand?
If so, than you know how amazing a fresh, juicy and sweet a tomato can be!
There is nothing that compares to the taste of summer tomatoes, sprinkled with a dash of salt, some fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil! Am I right?
If you love fresh Italian flavors, like me, than you will love this recipe for sure! The ripe summer tomatoes, fragrant basil, and red peppers offer up a wonderful bouquet of sweet fresh flavor that you will deeply enjoy!
Besides having amazing flavor, this salad is highly nutritious and well balanced. The beans and quinoa provide a nice energy boost by supplying protein, which will leave you feeling comfortably full and satisfied! The tomatoes are a excellent source of vitamin C, biotin, vitamin K, phytonutrients and lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that plays an important role in bone health, and the tomatoes’ phytonutrients support a healthy heart (they have been shown to have anti-aggregation properties (prevents clumping of blood)).
Another awesome thing about this salad is how easy it is to make! You can have it ready in under 15 minutes. Just cook up some quinoa, open a can of white beans, chop up the veggies, and top it all off with olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic reduction! Ready to try some?
Did I mention itβs beautiful to look at too? So colorful! Enjoy π
(Source: www.whfoods.com)
Tuscan White Bean and Quinoa Salad {Healthy, Gluten-Free, Vegan}
Quinoa and white bean salad with tomatoes and basil.
- 1 cup quinoa (makes 2.5 cups cooked, Paleo- can sub for 1 cup cauliflower “rice”)
- 1 can white beans (omit for paleo)
- Β½ cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- ΒΌ cup sweet red pepper (diced)
- ΒΌ cup red onion (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons of fresh basil (chopped fine)
Dressing:
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Β½ tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- ΒΌ teaspoons of salt
- ΒΌ teaspoon of pepper
- 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction
- Cook the quinoa according to directions and place in a large bowl.
- Mix in the drained and rinsed white beans, tomatoes, red pepper, red onion, and basil.
- In a small blender combine the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
- Drizzle dressing onto the salad and mix.
- Place the salad into the serving bowl or dish and drizzle balsamic reduction on top, and garnish with extra basil.
What great colors in this dish! I love the drizzle of balsamic!
Fantastic use of some bona fide power foods; thanks so much for putting this one together!
Thanks so much!
This salad looks beautiful, tasty, and healthy! It’s the perfect salad in my opinion!
Thank you!!
Oh yes!! Quinoa, basil and lemon… a perfect combo in my book. Add in that balsamic and you have a sure winner. Love this recipe!
Thanks Kim! I love that flavor combo as well!
I love having salad for dinner. This one looks like a complete meal! So gorgeous and delicious!
Thanks Diane!
oh this looks sooooo good, exactly the kind of food that I like to eat!
Thanks so much Sara!
I love how colorful this is! Colorful food > all other types of food. I’m also loving the food combos – it sounds so refreshing!
Thanks!
The ingredients are so simple and easily available and it makes such an attractive meal, good for lunch or dinner!
Thanks!
Going to make this tonight and add some grilled cubed zucchini – still overloaded with that in my garden. And some jalapenos too!
Great idea!
Balsamic reduction is seriously the best thing ever!! I could pour it on everything! Love this recipe and it’s simply gorgeous! YUM!
Me too!! π
i’m so in love with tomatoes! will try them this way too!
Thanks Claudia!
Going to try this recipe this weekend for a bbq I am attending. Thank you!
The color,the greens and the tomatoes, wow, what lovely photos:)
My tomatoes have done relatively well this year! This looks like a fantastic way to use some up
We are always looking for new salad ideas! I am going to pin this so we can try it down the road!
Love Quinoa and this combination with beans look really healthy and yummy.
I love salads! Adding the white beans and quinoa for protein make this salad perfect!
this looks so yummy! I love the combo of the white beans and quinoa for a hearty salad!
Thanks Rachel!
Thanks!
Looks delicious and looks like the perfect lunch idea I am looking for!!
Thanks!
Lots of good things going on in this salad. Love the colors, flavors and the textures.
Thanks Lydia!
This dish is just what I’ve been looking for. My partner has been begging for more quinoa dishes. Thanks!
Awesome! So happy you like it!
I feel you re: fresh, homegrown tomatoes. I usually grow my own in containers (and love it!), but didn’t this year due to a recent move. Le sigh.
This salad looks great! It would be a really tasty and healthy lunch.
Thanks!!
Yes you are right !! Growing Tomatoes is everything ! I am the self proclaimed queen of home grown tomatoes. I have them everywhere. I live for home grown heirloom tomatoes. Ha! I love how fresh and healthy this dish looks !
Thanks you! Can’t go wrong with fresh tomatoes!!
Great pics. Great ingredients. Great recipe.
Thank you!
What an awesome way to incorporate quinoa into a recipe!
Thanks so much!
We have tomatoes coming out everyday now, and I love quinoa. Beautiful picture.
Awesome! Enjoy them while they last π
Mmm LOVE new ideas for quinoa. This looks delish!!
Thanks Hillary!
YES, YES, YES, and YES!!! These are all just a few on my favorite things!
Thanks! med too π
What a yummy GF salad option! I am saving this one for sure!
SO glad you like it!
This salad looks awesome and it is filled with such delicious and fresh produce. Love it.
Thank you!
Your salad looks amazing! This is going to be my happy lunch next week π Thanks for sharing it
Thanks you!
Quinoa salads make such a nice, healthy lunch option. I love the addition of white beans in this one!
Thanks so much!
That’s a great way to use super foods together. I really like the colors and freshness of this salad.
Thanks Richa!
I am loving al the colors and textures in this salad, also that balsamic drizzle is perfect finishing!
Balsamic reduction drizzle is the best! Thanks!
This looks so tasty! I love that you add the nutritional benefits of the ingredients π
Thanks Whitney!
Thanks!!
Quinoa is such an underrated salad base! It’s got great texture and flavor!
Yes I love it too!
Yes please! π
π
This looks so good! I bet it would be great with an egg served over it for breakfast (for those who are non-vegan of course). Not that it needs a thing more, it looks perfect!
Oooh thats a great idea!
I love tomatoes from my garden, they are so sweet and juicy. I love quinoa bowls.
Thanks Michelle!
Your photos are GORGEOUS! I love salads like this. Healthy, plant based, and full of seasonal ingredients. YUM!
Aw thanks Trish!
I absolutely love adding quinoa to salads, so this is high on my list to try! It looks so delicious!
Thanks Sandra
This looks so good! And I love you photos! Great post π
Thanks Chrissie!